Southern California -- this just in

MTA drops or reduces 18 bus lines to save about $30 million a year [Updated]

September 23, 2010 | 1:25
pm

The board of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority eliminated about 4% of the agency’s bus system on Thursday by discontinuing or reducing 18 routes from the San Gabriel Valley to the South Bay.

Of all the transportation services MTA provides -- operating buses, subways and light rail lines and working with Caltrans on highway projects -- bus service is one of the most popular, with slightly more than 1 million boardings a day.

The changes, which go into effect on Dec. 12, will eliminate nine Metro Local and Rapid bus lines and reduce service on the remainder of the routes during the day and on weekends. MTA officials say the reductions, which are projected to save an estimated $30 million a year, will help erase a $250-million deficit in the agency’s budget to operate its buses and rail lines.

[For the record at 1:27 p.m: An earlier version of this post stated that the changes will go into effect on Dec. 2. They will take effect on Dec. 12.]

Some bus riders oppose the cuts, saying the reductions will result in more overcrowding of buses and create a substantial inconvenience for people who totally depend on mass transit.